Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Pick & Prediction 1/18/25
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are set to face off at 7:00 ET on NHLN. The Canadiens will host the game at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The Maple Leafs come into this Atlantic division matchup as the -1.5 goal favorite to pick up the win. Currently, the over/under for the game is at 6 goals.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS MONTREAL CANADIENS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Montreal Canadiens +1.5
This game will be played at Bell Centre at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 18th.
WHY BET THE MONTREAL CANADIENS:
- Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Canadiens to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.
- We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+119)
- The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5
Are Toronto Ready for a Road Win?
After a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild, the Maple Leafs are now 28-16-2. Toronto was the underdog on the puck line, and the total was set at 6 goals, but both teams combined for just 3.
The Wild scored first at 9:41 in the opening period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up at 19:08 with a power-play goal from William Nylander. The game remained tied until the Wild scored at 2:14 in overtime.
In their 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild, Toronto’s offense managed just one goal, which came from William Nylander, his 9th of the season. The Leafs took 28 shots on goal but were held scoreless after Nylander’s power-play goal at 19:08 in the first period.
Toronto recorded 10 giveaways and had two assists, with Auston Matthews earning his 6th and Mitchell Marner adding his 12th assist on Nylander’s goal.
Defensively, the Maple Leafs gave up the first goal at 9:41 in the first period and the game-winner at 2:14 in overtime. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves with a 93.9% save percentage. Toronto’s defense also contributed 2 takeaways and 30 hits.
Can Montreal Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?
Montreal dropped to 22-18-4 after a 3-1 road loss to the Penguins. The Canadiens, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.
The Penguins took a 2-0 lead before Christian Dvorak scored at 14:28 in the third period, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, Pittsburgh sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 19:15.
Montreal’s offense was limited to just one goal in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Christian Dvorak found the net for the first time this season, scoring at 14:28 in the third period. The Canadiens took 26 shots on goal but couldn’t convert until Dvorak’s late tally.
Juraj Slafkovsky picked up his seventh assist of the season, while Emil Heineman added his first assist on Dvorak’s goal. The Canadiens struggled with giveaways, recording 20 in the game.
Defensively, the Canadiens will look to improve after allowing the first two goals in their previous game against the Penguins. They gave up another late in the 3rd, an empty-netter with just 45 seconds left. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense added 4 takeaways and 28 hits.